


Through the Dark

by SebandBlaine



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Endgame!Huntbastian, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:34:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26430472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SebandBlaine/pseuds/SebandBlaine
Summary: Sebastian is having a hard time accepting Kurt and Blaine's engagement, Hunter steps in to help.
Relationships: Hunter Clarington/Sebastian Smythe
Comments: 3
Kudos: 48





	1. Heartbreak

‘Is that… crying?’ Hunter thought, his eyebrows knitting together as he tiptoed down the hall towards the common area. He wasn’t supposed to be out of his room this late by any means. Curfew for students was at 10pm sharp, but he had forgotten an important textbook behind the Council’s desk after Warbler practice, and he desperately needed it for the homework he had been procrastinating on in favor of jumping on Call of Duty for the last few hours.

At least, that had been the main focus until he noticed the smell of logs burning and the sound of soft sobbing coming from the slightly open doors ahead of him. He paused by the small opening between the doors, shifting to the side until he locked eyes on Sebastian, who was sitting in front of the fireplace with his knees held firmly to his chest. 

He had so many questions running through his head. What could have upset his co-captain that bad? Since when did Sebastian Smythe cry? Because as far as he knew, that guy only had two emotions, sassy and sarcastic. 

Still, he found a sick feeling of sympathy forming in his stomach at the sight in front of him, and he debated just turning around and leaving Sebastian in peace, but that just didn’t feel right. So, he took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open, taking a single step inside, “Sebastian?” He asked softly, the sobbing suddenly stopping which left the room totally silent apart from the crackling from the wood in the fireplace. 

Sebastian froze when he heard the door creak open and a voice calling his name, quickly starting to wipe his eyes on his arms as a feeling of panic consumed him. First, he helps the guy he’s in love with propose to another man, and now someone was in here with him and had obviously just caught him crying, which is exactly what he had come here to avoid in the first place by sneaking out after his roommate had gone to bed. This day just couldn’t get any better. “I’m fine. I’m not… crying,” He said, cringing at himself almost instantly. Anymore, anyway. 

Hunter stepped further inside, pushing the door closed behind as he took in Sebastian’s appearance. Even from here, he could see all of the tear drops on the grey t-shirt the other was wearing, and he could see how puffy Sebastian’s cheeks were, even with him doing everything in his power to turn away and hide them. “I was just coming to grab a book I left, but… are you okay?” Hunter asked, concern dripping from his voice as he stepped closer. He knew all about Blaine’s proposal despite not being there to see it himself, mostly because the entire school was buzzing about it, and the Warblers hadn’t stopped talking about the request for help for the last week. But as far as he and anyone else could tell, Sebastian had been acting normal since, so that couldn’t possibly be it, right?

Sebastian tensed and turned further away from Hunter, his heart pounding out of his chest. What could he even say to that? One thing he didn’t like to do was lie, and maybe it seemed contradictory he had a moral compass in that area when everything from his past was considered, but he really had turned over a new leaf. He’d done it all for Blaine, to try and prove he was good enough to be with him. He’d even stopped sleeping around in hopes he’d be more appealing. “I said I’m fine,” He said, his shoulders slumping as he dropped his head to bury his face into his knees. 

Hunter hesitated, watching Sebastian closely for a few moments in silence. No, he’s definitely not ‘fine’. He walked over and slid down next to him, leaning back against the couch that was sitting behind them. “I can tell you’re not. I’ve never seen you this upset before,” He said, extending his legs out in front of himself and crossing them at the ankles as his arms crossed over his chest. He’d seen this before, and he’d been through it before. He’d been in love once too. She was a nice girl, but they couldn’t handle distance, and he’d been shipped off to an out-of-state military school by his parents in hopes he’d follow in his father and grandfather’s footsteps.

“Yeah? And why do you care? We’re not friends, Hunter. You’ve made that very clear,” Sebastian snapped, though he instantly felt bad about it. He just didn’t know how else to handle these feelings, and now someone was sitting next to him and he didn’t have a choice but to face them. At least before Hunter came in, the fire had been a good distraction.

Hunter sighed and glanced over at Sebastian, watching his sides heave as he tried to catch his breath, “I care because I know what you're going through. I’ve been heartbroken before too, and it hurts.” He noticed Sebastian tense further, silence following for a few moments before the other slowly turned his head to look at him. Sebastian looked awful. Red, puffy eyes, tear streaks going down his cheeks and his lips were swollen, presumably from all the biting in a vain attempt at quieting himself down. 

“You have?” Sebastian asked, his tone soft and fragile now as he watched Hunter’s expression go from blank to sympathetic, “How did you… deal with it? How do I stop feeling like I’m dying inside?” He asked, his voice breathy and heavy. 

Hunter let out a soft breath through his nose, turning his attention back to the fire in front of them. “Well, you don’t. This is going to sound like the absolute worst advice ever, but you have to let yourself feel it. Otherwise, it’s just going to stay there and fester until you can’t take it anymore. I wish I could say there was a detour or a way around it, but there isn’t,” He said, furrowing his eyebrows at the memory of how he had felt before transferring in.

Sebastian let out a soft huff, turning his body to face the fire again with his knees still pulled firmly to his chest. This is why he didn’t let himself love, or even go past a single night with one person. Everyone always left him when he needed them most, and he should have reminded himself of that before letting himself get feelings for someone who couldn’t possibly feel the same for him. He stayed quiet for a few more moments before shifting to sit with his legs in a criss-cross position, his hands resting on his lap as he looked down to watch himself playing with a loose string on the cotton athletic shorts he was wearing. “He wants to stay friends, but… I’m not there yet. Maybe that’s immature, but I can’t tolerate watching him post about Kurt Hummel and how ‘in love’ they are,” He said, his tone bitter and sarcastic.

Hunter turned his attention back to Sebastian, letting out a soft sigh in response. He knew that feeling all too well. “The good news is, you have the right to do whatever it takes to make yourself feel better, Sebastian. Things won’t be easy, but you can do this, I know you can,” He said in a much softer tone, reaching over to lightly pat the other’s shoulder.

Sebastian nodded, clearing his throat softly and drying his cheeks on the shoulders of his shirt. “I’m going to try, I guess. Thanks for… talking to me, even if you didn’t have to,” He said, just loud enough to hear, before managing a tight-lipped smile in the other’s direction. He wasn’t sure how that conversation helped, but it did. He could feel the tiniest part of his heart mending, and it offered him at least a little hope.

Hunter pushed himself up, dusting the back of his sweatpants off with a warm smile on his face, “Any time, seriously. You have my phone number, so… if you ever need to just vent it out or talk to someone, let me know and either I’ll come to your room or you can come to mine.” He walked over to the desk, leaning down and grabbing the textbook he had left there.

Sebastian opened his mouth to speak but no words came out, his eyes following Hunter back to the desk. He didn’t know what to say for a second or two. No one, not even Blaine, had ever… offered anything like that before. He was normally the one picking up everyone else's pieces, but here Hunter was, offering to help him pick his own up. He finally found his words just as Hunter was pulling the door open to leave, “I will. Um, Hunter?” He asked, watching the other pause with his hand on the door knob, their eyes meeting less than a second later, “Mind keeping this between us? I have a bit of a reputation to keep, so…” He trailed off.

Hunter just laughed softly, raising an eyebrow in Sebastian’s direction before nodding a second later. “Oh, yeah. Of course. Can’t have anyone knowing you have a soft side, right?” He asked in a soft, playful tone, which brought a smile to Sebastian’s face. Hunter was noticing just how pretty Sebastian’s smile was when it reached his eyes, the way his entire face seemed to light up, even through the tears. He internally scolded himself and shook his head. No, he couldn’t feel that way about another guy. ‘Not even remotely bi-curious,’ He reminded himself of the words that had been drilled into his head from a young age. 

Sebastian noticed Hunter’s eyes lingering for a few more seconds than normal, but just wrote it off as concern more than anything. “Yeah, right. Thanks again, Hunter. For everything.” 

Hunter nodded, looking between Sebastian and the fireplace. “Don’t mention it, Sebastian,” He reassured, “just make sure you’re back in your dorm by 5am at the latest? I don’t need one of my best guys getting suspended or barred from performing this close to Nationals,” He said, winking in the other’s direction before disappearing through the double doors with his textbook in hand. 

Sebastian watched the door swing closed, and suddenly the lonely feeling set back in again as the quiet surrounded him, his eyes locking on the fire once more. He wasn’t sure what this tiny spark was in the pit of his stomach, but he just assumed he was in a vulnerable place and that was that. He couldn’t possibly find Hunter “stick-in-the-mud” Clarington attractive. He’d had enough of forming feelings for guys he couldn’t have, so maybe an easy rebound would be just what he needed.


	2. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian and Hunter join each other for their weekly video game session, and Hunter has a revelation.

The first time it happened was a few days after Hunter had found him by the fireplace. Sebastian hadn’t been able to sleep some nights, Hunter happened to be up late working on homework. Sebastian texted Hunter to see if he was busy, and sure enough, an hour later they were in Hunter’s dorm, sharing ice cream and talking about coping mechanisms. 

Sebastian was surprised just how easy conversation had flowed, how comfortable they had been talking about relationships with each other. That quickly became a weekly occurrence, where one would go to the other’s room and they’d spend time talking while doing homework, or playing video games together. 

Tonight was Sebastian’s turn to supply the ice cream, so here he was, walking down the hall of the dormitory with a paper bag in hand that contained a pint of raspberry cheesecake gelato, which he had found to be Hunter’s favorite, and a pint of mint Oreo for himself. He knocked a few times on the door, glancing around to make sure no one was around to see him entering. 

One thing they had agreed upon was discretion, because the last thing Hunter wanted was a scandal going around regarding Sebastian bringing ice cream to his dorm room. It seemed innocent to most, but Hunter came from a very conservative family and didn’t want to take the risk of news getting back to them, which Sebastian had been fine with of course. Even if circumstances were different in other situations, he was used to sneaking around.

Hunter heard the knock and quickly paused his video game before walking to the door, pulling it open. “Hey! Come in,” He said, stepping aside to make room before closing the door behind the other. He had grown quite fond of their weekly meet-ups, and it wasn’t just because of the occasionally free ice cream. He and Sebastian had good conversations that had quickly turned into more than just talking about Blaine. They teased each other, gossiped with each other, and there was even some light flirting from Sebastian that he didn’t mind as much as he probably should, but he just wrote it off as Sebastian being emotionally vulnerable and nothing more. 

Sebastian took his shoes off by the end of the bed, then set the bag down on the desk as his eyes locked on the TV. “Oh, DC. Nice,” He said, plopping down into the rolling office chair with his legs extended out in front of him. 

“Oh, yeah. I was doing an improvement grind for one of the heroes,” Hunter explained, moving to sit on the edge of the bed with a small smile. “If you want to play with me, you can! We always kick ass together,” He said, leaning back on his palms on the mattress. “How have you been feeling this week? Any better?”

Sebastian nodded and relaxed some at the question, drumming his fingers on the arms of the chair. “I’m doing so much better. I got a full eight hour sleep most nights this week, so that was nice,” He said, a small smile forming on his face. “I’d love to play. I got dibs on Superman though,” He laughed softly, turning the chair to start opening the bag. “I hope that gelato you like is still okay,” He added, pulling the ice cream pints out and setting them down on the desktop, accompanied by two spoons. 

Hunter hummed, moving to grab his gelato and spoon before settling back down onto the edge of the bed. “It’s perfect, thank you. You can be Superman because I prefer Green Lantern anyway,” He laughed softly, “I’m so happy you’re doing better. I noticed you looked more rested at practice and around campus, but I didn’t want to assume anything.” He took the lid off and shoved his spoon down into the white and red marbled gelato before shoveling a bite into his mouth. 

Sebastian moved to do the same with his ice cream, pulling the lid off and setting it aside before picking his spoon up. “I mean, you’ve definitely been helping me overcome it all. I don’t think about… him… as much anymore,” He said, feeling his smile faltering for a moment before he quickly recuperated, “but that’s okay. He’s happy with someone who ignores him and treats him like trash. That’s his prerogative, not mine.” He shrugged, bitterness lining his voice but he quickly pushed that aside as he began eating his ice cream.

Hunter nodded slowly, able to tell there were definitely still some hard feelings there. For some reason, the need to help was getting stronger and stronger. All he wanted to do was restore Sebastian’s happiness, because going any amount of time without seeing that beautiful smile would be a travesty. So, he got an idea. “Well, I mean… you could always release all those feelings on strangers? Not like, verbally or physically attacking them, but sometimes destroying people in video games is a really good form of therapy,” He said, standing up and setting his ice cream on his nightstand. He moved to pick his Playstation controller up before sitting back down on the edge of the bed, patting the spot next to him for Sebastian to come sit, which the other quickly complied with ice cream still in hand. “You can play solo for a bit,” He said, handing the controller over once Sebastian had set the container and spoon down on the end of the wooden bed frame.

Sebastian smiled and started going through the options, entering a new game before leaning back against the wall as he waited for the lobby to fill. “Thanks, Hunt. I think the idea bothers me more than anything else. He chose Kurt over me. The same Kurt who wears a hippo brooch, like who does that?” He huffed, though he knew he was just sounding jealous at this point, so he quickly moved on from it. “Anyway, it is what it is, I guess,” He sighed, turning his attention to the TV when the game started.

Hunter found it oddly adorable how jealous Sebastian had gotten, and maybe that was selfish since the other was going through a hard time right now, but he couldn’t help it. It’s totally cool for a straight guy to find a gay guy adorable, right? It’s 2014, things are different now. “Yeah, just… don’t stress and don’t think about it. Let all those nasty feelings out on them,” He said with a soft laugh, motioning to the screen. 

Sebastian ended up playing for quite a while, his negative feelings towards the whole Kurt and Blaine train wreck fueling him on. Of course he won the round, or at least his team did, and he found himself excitedly throwing his arms around Hunter’s neck in a hug, the controller grasped tightly in one hand and a big smile on his face. It was a little bizarre how therapeutic that was, but he was just rolling with it. If it worked, it worked. “That felt so much better than I thought it would.” He laughed, a genuine grin on his face for what seemed like the first time in forever.

Hunter hadn’t been expecting a hug by any means, so when Sebastian threw his arms around him like this, he had tensed up a little at first. He could feel his heart skip a beat, which was a little weird in and of itself. ‘Must be the ice cream,’ he figured. When he finally relaxed into it, which felt like forever but was really only a few seconds later, he noticed how good Sebastian smelled as he carefully slid his arms around him in return. He smelled like Ralph Lauren cologne and Old Spice, which Hunter would never have expected to smell so good together, yet here it was. “I’m glad, Seb,” He said in a soft tone, deciding to leave it there before he made a fool out of himself.

Sebastian pulled back after a few moments, though their arms stayed around each other as he looked into the familiar hazel eyes of his co-captain. This felt different. It felt… intimate? He could see the confused look in Hunter’s eye, and he was sure the same was reflecting in his own. Hunter was straight, right? So why was there this weird pull between them? He wasn’t sure. He cleared his throat softly and slowly pulled back completely after a moment or two, reminding himself of his rule. No more inaccessible guys. “Sorry,” He said, laughing softly as he rubbed the back of his neck slowly. “Um, anyway, want to play a few rounds together before I need to get back?” He offered softly.

Hunter didn’t even remotely understand what he was feeling as he looked into Sebastian’s eyes. He’d never felt a pull to another person like this. Yeah, he liked girls, and he knew he did. But he’d never felt like this for another guy before, and that thought scared him. He couldn’t possibly be interested in dudes, because for one, his dad would kill him. It had been enough of a fight to get his family to let him go to an all boys school, because his dad had predicted it would ‘turn him gay’. Maybe this was a mistake after all, but how could it be when it felt so natural and right? He was in for a lot of thinking tonight, he could tell. He realized he had zoned out when he felt Sebastian shifting away from him, and he instantly pulled himself from his thoughts. “Oh, yeah! Totally, let’s destroy some ten year olds,” He said with a soft laugh, trying to deflect from what had just happened by any means necessary. 

Hunter got up and moved to grab the second controller before returning to his spot on the bed, leaning back against the wall next to Sebastian. He glanced over at him for a second more before turning his attention to the TV, millions of thoughts rushing around his mind as he entered them both into a lobby search.


	3. Nationals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Warblers perform in Los Angeles, but not before Hunter and Sebastian take advantage of their once-in-a-lifetime trip to California.

Over the next two months, Hunter and Sebastian spent more and more time together as the days passed. 

It started with them walking to the pop-up coffee stand together everyday, then walking to classes together, and eventually they ended up spending extra time together after the other Warblers had gone back to their rooms, under the pretense of extra practice for their performance at Nationals that neither of them really needed. 

Hunter’s feelings had continued growing, despite his best ability to suppress and get rid of them, and after a while - thanks to a visit to the local Catholic church and an hour in the confessional - he had decided it was okay to feel this way as long as he didn’t act on it. Every time Sebastian would walk by and flash a smile at him, his heartbeat would quicken and occasionally he’d stutter over his words. One time, he’d gotten distracted enough to run face first into another student, and that alone was embarrassing. He just played it off when Sebastian turned around with a raised eyebrow, pretending to lean against one of the walls while profusely apologizing to make it look like he was just in the middle of a conversation. He felt like it worked well enough because when he glanced back a minute later, Sebastian had disappeared and Hunter went about his day.

Now, after a lot of practice and preparation, they were landing in Los Angeles, and the whole team was buzzing on the way out of the airport despite the chaperone’s best attempts at getting them to quiet down. 

Sebastian jogged up to catch up with Hunter, pulling his sunglasses down from on top of his head to cover his eyes as they stepped out into the LA sun, his other hand tightly grasped onto the strap of the duffel bag that sat on his shoulder. “Hey, Hunt!” He exclaimed excitedly, moving to stand in line to get on the bus that was waiting for them. “Are you excited to perform tomorrow?” He asked, mostly trying to make conversation whilst texting his mom to let her know he landed safely.

Hunter glanced up and blushed, taking in Sebastian’s appearance. Those sunglasses just got a million times hotter just because of who was wearing them, and a tank top with knee length shorts have never looked that good. “Oh, definitely. I’ve never been over on this side of the country before, so I’m really excited to maybe go out and do some exploring tomorrow before the competition,” He said, keeping a tight hold on the handle of the rolling suitcase he had to try and release some nerves.

Sebastian glanced over from his phone and smiled, nodding along with what Hunter was saying. “Oh, well… what if I joined you? I’ve never been over here either, but I’m dying to see the beaches, the Hollywood sign, the Walk of Fame,” He listed off, noticing the way Hunter was looking at him. He’d picked up on a lot over the last few months. The lingering stares, the nervous smiles, the time Hunter had been staring and actually crashed into someone before trying to play it off, which Sebastian had found adorable after determining they were both okay. He wasn’t naive or blind when it came to those things, and he’d been dropping hints of his own that either Hunter was oblivious to, or just didn’t pick up on, so he decided to be a little more obvious about it.

Hunter hesitated for a few moments, thinking over what that meant. He and Sebastian walking around LA together, by themselves. He glanced up as he stepped forward in line, nodding slowly. “Sure, you can tag along. I could use the company,” He finally said after a moment of pondering, offering the other a small smile. “We can stop at all of those places too, maybe rent a car to get around in. We’ll see,” He added before walking up the steps and onto the bus. He smiled back at Sebastian before walking down the aisle, sitting down next to Trent.

Sebastian smirked and followed Hunter onto the bus. “Sounds good. We’ll split the bill,” He said, walking to the very back and sitting down behind Nick and Jeff, stretching his legs out across the seat.

* * *

_The Following Day_

Hunter made his way down the hall, stopping in front of Sebastian’s door and knocking a few times. Just a friendly outing with his co-captain, nothing more. Sebastian couldn’t possibly be into him anyway, right? Hunter didn’t exactly fit the description of people he’d caught Sebastian eye-fucking on multiple occasions, being Blaine and Nick. Both short, dark hair, brown eyes. The thought stung a little more than he cared to admit, so he pushed it aside and ignored it as much as possible, instead turning his attention to the detail on the wallpaper.

Sebastian grabbed his phone, sunglasses and wallet, double checking he had his room key before stepping out, shoving everything down into a beach bag he was carrying on his shoulder. “Hey, ready to go?” He asked, smiling over at Hunter as he pulled the door closed behind himself. He’d actually put effort into his outfit today, because he was going out to try and win Hunter over, and he could tell it was well received based on the staring.

Hunter pulled himself from his thoughts, moving his eyes back up to meet Sebastian’s. “Oh, yeah, sorry. You look nice today,” He said, trying to play it off as casual as he put his hands down into his pockets, a light pink tint forming on his cheeks. “There’s an Enterprise a couple blocks from here, so we can go see about renting a car,” He said, turning on his heels and leading Sebastian down the hall.

Sebastian nodded, sliding his hands down into his pockets. He took note of the blush on the other’s cheeks, deciding maybe Hunter really wasn’t as inaccessible as he thought originally. “Sounds good, Hunt.”

* * *

Their first stop after renting a car was getting breakfast. They stopped by a Starbucks for iced lattes and breakfast sandwiches, then started the journey to the first stop. The beach. It was still early enough to be a little on the cool side of the daily forecast, so they figured now was as good a time as any. So after arriving and finishing their breakfast, they made a quick stop at a surf store to pick up some sunscreen, towels and touristy t-shirts that Sebastian had insisted on. 

Finally, they were walking out onto Venice beach, Sebastian already taking his shirt off in preparation of getting in the water, but not before taking advantage of a certain opportunity. “Hey, Hunter? Mind putting some sunscreen on my back?” He asked casually as they stopped at a spot with a great view of the ocean, Sebastian laying the towels out and setting his stuff down. He then turned to Hunter, extending the bottle out with a smile on his face. Of course there was a hidden motive, when was there not with him? He could see and feel the chemistry between them, and based on how Hunter acted around him, he could tell there was a level of attraction there.

Hunter tore his eyes away from Sebastian’s body, clearing his throat softly and looked between the bottle and Sebastian, then glancing around them. No one seemed to be paying attention, thankfully, so he reached out and took the bottle with a small smile on his face. “Um, yeah, sure. Turn around,” He said, opening the lid on the bottle before squirting some out into his palm. He glanced up after a moment and stepped closer, starting to work the sunscreen into Sebastian’s back and shoulders. Sebastian’s skin was warm and soft, his shoulders strong and back muscled. Lacrosse really seemed to agree with him.

Sebastian sighed happily at the feeling of strong hands working sunscreen into his shoulders, sliding his sunglasses over his eyes as he watched the waves come in and took a deep breath of the salty air. “It’s such a nice day for the beach, isn’t it?” He asked, glancing back out of the corner of his eye only to take note of the way Hunter seemed to be admiring him in a way he hadn’t seen before, and he’d be lying if he said that didn’t feel good. It wasn’t so much lust - what Sebastian had gotten accustomed to, it was more of a gentle, exploring gaze, that he thought comparable to a kid riding a bike for the first time. 

“Hmm? Oh, yeah,” Hunter said, turning his attention to the water, “It’s a great day for it.” He finished rubbing the sunscreen in before pulling his shirt over his head and dropping it down onto one of the towels. “Mind getting mine?” He asked, turning so his back was to Sebastian before turning his head just enough to look back at the other, who was not-so-subtly looking him up and down. Hunter couldn’t help the slight smirk that took hold, turning to look at the waves as the sound of a bottle opening came from behind him. Today is going to be fun.

* * *

In total, they spent four hours relaxing on the sand, swimming, talking about the competition and finishing off their morning at the beach with lunch at the Beach Bar on the boardwalk. Sebastian had managed to sneak his fake ID with him on their outing today, so he was two margaritas in by the time they left the restaurant. 

“You know, you’re lucky the rental was in my name,” Hunter huffed, though he found himself leaning into the other’s side, who had an arm slung over his shoulders as they walked back towards where they had parked. Sebastian huffed in reply, shaking his head as he looked around at all the people passing them. “I’m not even… _that_ drunk, okay? I’m used to a lot more alcohol content than that,” He muttered, patting Hunter’s shoulder with the hand that was dangling in front of it. 

Hunter rolled his eyes, leading Sebastian back to the car with a skeptical look on his face. “Okay, well, if you throw up everywhere, you’re paying for the damage,” He said, to which Sebastian scoffed out, “Oh, please… I’ve accidentally trashed hotel rooms. Paying cleaning fees is just another day in the life of Sebastian James Smythe,” He said, a cocky smirk on his face as Hunter pulled the door open with a confused look on his face.

“Wait, how do you _accidentally_ destroy a hotel room?” Hunter asked, leaning against the door for a moment as Sebastian climbed in and got buckled up with a little trouble getting the seat belt to go in, rolling his eyes at Hunter’s question as if it was obvious. “You’ve obviously never been to a college party before,” He muttered. 

“Okay, and you have?”

“Of course I have. I have a life and friends outside Dalton Academy, you know.”

Hunter put his hands up in surrender and laughed, shaking his head. “Alright, alright. Point taken,” He said, pushing the door closed before walking around the front of the car and climbing into the driver’s seat, buckling up and starting the car. “So, next… Walk of Fame?” He asked, glancing at the clock. They still had enough time to get through this and then make it to the Hollywood sign, but worst case scenario they just snuck out after the competition to go see it.

Sebastian simply hummed in response, leaning his head against the window to watch pedestrians pass by with a look of intrigue on his face.

* * *

The next several hours were spent with Sebastian stopping at several of the stars on the Walk of Fame, Hunter taking pictures for him until they had exhausted all of the celebrity stars Sebastian wanted pictures with. Now, they were finishing their hike up to the Hollywood sign, Hunter tucked into Sebastian’s side with an arm stretched across his shoulders. This had been the position they had been in for most of the day, and Hunter loved how it made him feel. He felt safe, and part of him was wondering why it would be so wrong for him to let himself feel what he felt for the other teen, but he was quickly brought back to the words of the priest in the confessional, so he pushed those feelings down as far as possible.

When they reached the top, Sebastian moved to sit down on the edge of a drop off, dangling his legs over as he looked down at the big white letters below them, then turned his attention out to the valley that seemed to stretch forever. He knew he wanted to confront the elephant in the room at some point, but for now he just wanted to enjoy the few moments of peace before the storm. “Pretty up here,” He commented, pulling a water bottle from his pocket before unscrewing the lid. 

Hunter slid down to sit next to Sebastian, leaning back on his palms with a soft, content sigh as he took in the other’s features. “Yeah, very,” He said in a soft tone, then turned his attention out in front of them. 

“So, you never really talk about yourself much, or your past, even.”

“There’s not much to talk about, I guess? I’m pretty boring, and I grew up in a conservative, small town. There’s nothing interesting to do or talk about at all.”

Sebastian swallowed down some water with a finger up, holding the bottle out in a silent offering before continuing, “I doubt you’re as boring as you say, but I’ll bite. What’s your family like?”

Hunter took the bottle and took a few sips from it before handing it back with a soft breath through his nose, “Well, my dad, uncles and cousins have all been active or are active in the Marine corps. I have several aunts, two sisters and my mom apart from that. They’re the live-off-the-land type.”

“Got it… and I’m assuming that’s why you were in military school?”

“Pretty much.”

“Well, is that something you _wanted_?”

Hunter thought the question over for a moment, looking down at his lap as he played with a loose string on his swim trunks. “I mean, not really, I guess? I’m not even from Colorado, but my family has been going to that military school for generations. I grew up in Kansas.”

“If you had to choose something to do for the rest of your life, what would it be?”

“Well… ever since I was younger, I’ve wanted to be a veterinarian. Animals just calm me down, I guess.”

Sebastian glanced over at Hunter and knit his eyebrows together for a moment, “Well, what’s stopping you? You’re great with Mr. Puss, you literally stopped the car to let a squirrel cross the road earlier, it’s obvious you care about animals.”

Hunter sighed and waved a hand passively, “Because my dad would kill me? I’d be the only guy in my family not to join the military, and I really don’t think he’d ever let me live that down.”

“Hunter, you’re worth more than your dad’s expectations of you. I know it’s hard when you feel like you’re living in someone else’s world… but what’s the point of living if you’re just living an extension of someone else’s life? Besides, you’re just going to end up potentially risking your life for something you’re not even passionate about.”

Hunter sighed and simply nodded, taking a moment to think it over. Of course he knew that, and he knew he didn’t want to be shipped off to the military after graduation, though that’s definitely the life his dad wanted for him. He’d made a decision to transfer to Dalton to get away from that, and to get away from the struggles that came with having strict, conservative parents who had essentially planned his life out since birth. So he really wasn’t sure what it was he was afraid of. He wasn’t in that environment anymore, or even remotely close to it. 

Sebastian could see the wheels turning in Hunter’s head, and part of him wanted to pry further, but maybe it was just that Hunter didn’t want to talk about it anymore, and that was perfectly valid. Besides, with the competition tonight and a two and a half hour hike back down in front of them, he didn’t want Hunter off his game because that could ruin everything they’d all worked towards over the last few months. So, instead of asking any more questions, “Anyway, what do you say we get back and get ready for tonight?” He asked in a softer tone, reaching out to stretch an arm across Hunter’s shoulders. 

Hunter pulled himself from his thoughts and managed a small smile, nodding once as his eyes dropped down to Sebastian’s lips for a second just before he pushed himself up and dusted the back of his shorts off. “Yeah, let’s get back. Sorry we couldn’t stay longer, I didn’t think it would take that long to get up here.”

Sebastian did the same, offering Hunter a small smile before sliding an arm around his shoulders once more and walking him back down the mountain. “It’s fine, short lived or not, it was worth it.”

* * *

During their performance, Hunter realized a few things. Firstly, his parents hadn’t shown up to the competition again, despite him sending them tickets in hopes they’d be there to support him. Secondly, the guys had very quickly become like a family to him. They’d all huddled and hugged before the show, and after they got off-stage they did the same. Third, his feelings for Sebastian were real, and that was probably the most terrifying of the three. Seeing the other dancing around the stage, singing his heart out had just solidified everything for Hunter in a way he hadn’t expected. 

Their setlist had been composed of Take Me to Church by Hozier and Classic by MKTO, Hunter taking the lead on the first and Sebastian taking the lead on the second. Now, they were waiting on stage between the Amazonians and Throat Explosion, listening to the announcer as he prepared to read the fourth and third place winners. Neither were them, so that helped ease the anxiety for a few moments. The real tension came when they opened the envelope for second place, the room slowly fading into silence as Hunter stared at the announcer. He felt a hand slide into his, and he glanced down before following the arm up just to see Sebastian smiling over at him, and that alone made his heart flutter. Just simple contact with him made everything feel like it was going to be okay, because a lot was riding on this for a lot of people.

Sebastian could tell Hunter was nervous, and truthfully he was too. This was his last time performing with the Warblers on a stage like this, so the pressure was on to go out with a bang this year, and in this case he meant figuratively. He gave Hunter’s hand a squeeze before turning his attention back to the announcer, who called out “Throat Explosion,” and suddenly the other Warblers were cheering, crying and hugging each other, one of the stagehands carrying the first place trophy over and handing it to himself and Hunter. When they locked eyes, it became more real, and he immediately took a step forward and pulled the other into a tight, one-armed hug. 

As they pulled back a moment later, Hunter looked up into Sebastian’s eyes in a whole new light. They were an amazing team, Sebastian understood him in a way no one else did, and they had just won a Nationals championship _together_ , as co-captains. How could it possibly be wrong to feel this way about another person when he just seemed to keep coming back to the feelings he had no matter how hard he tried to lock them away? As the curtain fell in front of them, he noticed Sebastian starting to lean in, and he could feel his heart pounding against his rib cage. He even found himself starting to lean up, at least until they were interrupted by a group hug from the other guys, who were too busy celebrating to notice.

* * *

When Hunter got back to his hotel room, he spent half an hour in the shower, trying to figure everything out, because it just got that much more confusing after they won. He and Sebastian had come so close to actually kissing, and he couldn’t justify that against his ideologies if he wanted to. So, after a while of intense thought and internal conflict, he was walking down the hallway towards Sebastian’s room once again, except this time he had a different agenda. He’d come to the realization that he really wouldn’t know if he didn’t try, and maybe what he was feeling wasn’t so bad after all, or maybe they’d finish what they started earlier and he’d realize that these feelings were nothing but a pipedream.

A moment later, Hunter stopped in front of Sebastian’s door and hesitated for a few moments before knocking, gripping his sweatpants tightly in both hands as he shifted from foot to foot. He hardly ever got nervous, but in this situation he couldn’t help but be.

Sebastian pulled the door open, raising his eyebrows as he looked Hunter up and down. “Oh… hey? You okay, Hunt?” He asked, taking note of the nervous body language and the panicked look on the other’s face. He was fully preparing himself to get told off for what happened after they received the trophy, especially since he and Hunter hadn’t spoken a word to each other basically the whole way back to the hotel.

Hunter took a deep breath, debating backing out and just congratulating Sebastian again, but then where would that get him? He’d just be back in his room, wondering how things could be the way he had been for months now. So, instead, he moved in and pressed their lips together before he could think about it too much. This felt different than kissing the girls he had been with before, but not necessarily in a good or bad way… just, different. The most significant difference with Sebastian was his height, so reaching his lips was a lot easier. He’d almost thought he was going to be pushed off, his mind instantly tricking him into thinking he’d misread a signal somewhere because for a few quick moments, Sebastian hadn’t moved.

Sebastian wasn’t sure what he had been expecting when Hunter showed up at his room at 10:30 at night, but it definitely wasn’t this. Yeah, he’d made a move after they won but he was fully prepared to sell it as a heat of the moment thing because he’d figured he freaked Hunter out. So to now have Hunter _kissing_ him in the middle of the hallway, it was a little bizarre, but he quickly found himself melting into it and sliding his arms around the other’s waist, tugging him back into his room and kicking the door closed. Once inside, he pulled back a little, looking into Hunter’s eyes with a million questions running around his head. “Hunt, I’m confused…” He breathed out with a soft laugh, pressing their noses together as he slipped his tongue out to wet his lips. 

“I am too. I don’t know what I’m doing, and I definitely don’t have all of the answers, but over these last few months, I’ve just… I guess, been developing feelings for you, and I tried to stop them and-” Hunter rambled, getting cut off by a finger getting pressed to his lips.

Sebastian smiled and nodded, giving the other a knowing look as the other hand began rubbing gentle circles into his back. “Hey, hey... I get it. I’ve felt the same way for a few weeks, I just didn’t want to let myself end up in another unrequited love situation. But then I started noticing things, and I decided to kind of just go for it,” He admitted with a soft laugh. “Nick snuck out to Jeff’s room, but you can stay here with me? We could talk over a glass of wine?” He offered, moving his hand from Hunter’s lips to instead carefully press against the other’s cheek, smiling when he leaned into it almost on instinct. 

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Hunter said in a soft voice, bringing a hand up to rest over Sebastian’s and slotting their fingers together. He still had so many questions, so many answers he wanted to discover, but he knew one thing for sure. Kissing Sebastian felt _right_ , and whatever this was between them wasn’t as scary as he had spent the last few months believing. He couldn’t help but wonder what else he had been wrong about all this time, but he couldn’t wait to find out.


End file.
